The INCREDIBLE Music Of Pokémon Black & White 

What is your favorite part of this soundtrack that I missed?? ALSO, come join us in the Better Piano community!! betterpiano.com/community

you do not understand how unbelievably quickly i clicked this notification. you’ve just made my year mr. cornell

Wow, a Pokemon game with a god-tier OST. Shocker. I think the coolest thing about Pokemon is that the lead composer, Junichi Matsuda, is one of the founders of Game Freak and is an executive at The Pokemon company. He just happens to be a musician and loves creating music more than anything.

One of my favorite parts of BW's music is how interactive it is. Starting on Route 2, when you really start your Journey, the Snare drum plays only while you're walking; the music marches with you! In Battle when your Pokemon enters red health, the music changes and the warning beep is integrated into the new intense theme. There are characters that add instrumentals and vocals if you interact with them in Accumula Town and Village Bridge. When you're near the dancers in Icirrus City clapping is added. There's so many of these tiny details that really make the music move with you. Quite frankly I've yet to see it done this well since. I have a soft spot for Gen 1, but Gen V takes the award for best Score by a mile.

14:00 I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE THE DAY, DCI DESERVES THE LOVE

2 days ago I was rambling to my little brother how much of a banger this soundtrack was. Poor guy's childhood is unmatched without this blasting off the DS speakers.

I was waiting for a Pokémon Black and White video for so long. Probably the best soundtrack in the series. I feel like it reached that balance of really Technical and extremely Catchy. All the other games lean more one way or the other. So many absolute bops in the Soundtrack. Pokémon also has it's own iconic sound, and I think this nails that too. The chords and progressions, etc. This soundtrack is just the best in the series, hands down. Also please do a video on why Pokémon music sounds like it does. It really does have it's own vibe/sound that's almost unmatched.

Absolute chills on the Blue Devils rendition of this theme. So good!

I used to hate music theory so much but after watching your videos a few years ago I can’t get enough of it! I love analysing chord progressions now and I wish I had a fraction of the skill that you have. The way you can listen to anything and play it on command whilst analysing it is so mesmerising to me! I love your content, please never stop posting Charles!!

As a former Blue Devil, thank you so much for sharing that clip from this summer's Devs show! Love that you've shared DCI with over a million people!

I am BEGGING you to make a part 2 of this, we need to hear about N's farewell and "emotion". This video felt like going to Chateau de Versailles and just staring at the front door the whole day without actually entering

I can’t believe this has been up for 10 minutes without the Nintendo lawyers attacking. Loving the video and praying it doesn’t get taken down. Keep up the great work!

I really like the legendary battle theme. I think its technically black and white 2 but thats close enough. Hype and unease are usually opposing feelings that dont mix well together, but this theme manages to deliver both beautifully with its changing tempo making it feel like you're fighting an intense battle on incredibly shaky ground.

NO WAY HE ACTUALLY COVERED IT thank you so much charles, these games are incredibly dear to me and have been since childhood, they’re my favorite games of all time

You missed the "Emotion" Theme, "Route 10" and "Colress Theme" from B&W2. Theses musics are amazing too.

11:43 I'll say my absolute favorite part of the battle music in B/W is the percussion underneath, you just can't help but bop your head as you listen to it!

Tritones usually sound ominous. But in B/W, they just feel epic as hell. And ofc Unwavering Emotions is a bit overplayed, but for good reason. It's an absolute tear jerker. I've been hooked on Pokemon since Crystal, and it is one of my favorite franchises.

Across this game and its sequel is arguably the best Pokémon soundtracks have ever been, so glad to see you cover this!

Not Black & White like you asked but the Area Zero theme from ScarVi is my favorite Pokémon song ever. So mesmerizing!

one of my favorites was always Undella town from black and white, fits the theme so well but is at such a different pace. Perfect spot to end the game

Aww Black and White my favorite Pokémon game even tho I only played v2 It introduced me to Pokémon games :)

Black and White's soundtrack is so good that Charles spent 90% of the video on the intro and trainer battle theme, heard 15 minutes into the game. (which also has the intro motif)

Never get tired of how Charles can just play the tune on the piano and it sounds immediately really cool Edit: Blue Devils would be so fun to see live!

Heart Gold/Soul Silver have easily my favorite Pokémon soundtracks period, and B&W are amazing too, definitely worth more videos!!

One of my favorite themes from this game has to be N’s theme, mostly for the bit of trivia about how mathematically calculated his theme is. If you count from middle C as 1, the first eight notes in his opening arpeggios are the first eight prime numbers (D = 2, E =3, G = 5, etc). So many memories brought back from this soundtrack and I always appreciate your works on the subject! 😊

Bridge village theme all the way! There were musicians scattered around the place and you would build up the theme by finding them one by one

Absolutely! W&B was experimental is not just pokemon, but music, art design and all sorts of things. And it was wonderful

dude the fact you brought up dci made my day like i dream to march somewhere so seeing this was awesomee

Have been waiting on this one ever since your first Pokémon reaction.

please please please do a full like 3 hour deep dive like this for the whole soundtrack 😭😭

I wait for these Pokemon breakdowns! Keep up the great work

Pokemon typically has great music but gen 5 really was something special. Everything including the music was top tier.

Accumula Town when you add the drums and piano is amazing 😍

The Black and White games are probably in my top 3 most favorite Pokémon games, the whole OST is straight 🔥too.

And on my birthday too! What a fantastic coincidence. Love gen5 music. 4 is outstanding too.

ohhh my god thank you so much for covering this game ;-; ;-; ;-; its a childhood favorite of mine, and I absolutely love the music in it !!! I've never thought so much about why that may have been, and I loved hearing your analysis and breakdown here !

LETS GOOOOO My favorite generation of the series. The music is one of the best as one of my favorites, thanks for covering this

The GOATS are: Opelucid City theme (white version) Route 10 theme Colress battle theme N Battle theme Virbank city theme

Charles, buddy, you gotta bring back the “5 versions” series!!! It’s been 5 years and I miss Jimmy.

I got this notification as I'm playing Pokémon Black for the first time. Amazing.

I don't care what anyone says, coming from a guy who started in Sapphire, gen 5 has peak music. Every town has its own theme, and so many towns have added music due to the npc adding music to it! Doesn't make me happy that they lock the pianists in Accumula town in bw2 to trades...whismer and kricketot...

Driftveil city is the one theme in any Pokémon game that I come back to regularly, so glad you covered it 😁

The Elite Four battle music and Gym Leader music is absolutely insane. Love those themes

I'm SO glad you covered some of the music from Pokémon B&W, that's by far the game with my favourite soundtrack. I would love to see you talk about more of the tracks!!

Wow! Good catch on the DCI call out. I am glad to hear you are a fan!

Accumula town is one of my favorite track from the whole Pokemon series and it's the first damn town in the game (after the starting one) it's also better known as the furret walk

Thank you so much for shouting out this incredible soundtrack!! You could talk about this for hours but please do a part 2 on Unwavering Emotions, the second wave gym leader fight, and the Accumula Town theme. Loved the vid!!

Thank you for covering this!!

Loved the video! You NEED to talk about the N theme you used in the of the video; it's based on prime numbers and it would be a fabulous match with the deep dive using the piano!!

15:07 She Blinded Me With Science!

My favorite little music layering thing in Pokemon B/W is the the whole gym badge gate pass check into Victory Road; there's so much that's gone into the music in these games (the clocks/ heartbeat sounds in N's Decisive Battle theme, the charming optional atmospheric instruments and vocals in certain areas in the game; etc.) that I'm glad you took your time looking into some examples from this game. Thank you for this video!

I clicked on this video as fast as possible. A little shame you didn't get to the Route Gate theme, the Unwearing Emotions theme, the Route 10 theme and more. You absolutely have to cover the sequels too, as they have an incredible soundtrack as well.

loving your pokemon breakdowns and analyses, please more!!!!

Undella Town, Nimbassa City, N's Castle and of course the Ending Theme were musts but you didnt include them, just like you didnt include either Cynthia theme in the Diamond and Pearl video. Btw a cool video idea is to take the 2 Cynthia's themes and put them next to Volo's theme from Legends Arceus, which is based on them. Same goes from N's Castle in B&W and B&W2. A good video idea about music referencing the art itself.

Dude, video choice is PEAK! These and the sequel games ESPECALLY are my faaaaav games in the series, and you even put the best theme in the game (Driftviel City) in this episode, perfect choice! I'm personally partial to Undella town and Abyssal Ruins, makes me so nostalgic and sad and at peace somehow, even when I first heard Undella Town especially. So yeah, If you do another of this set of games and see this comment, I beeeeg! XD

I love the bg music in Virbank City, Pokemon Black 2, that jazzie vibe is so calming. It reminds me of the Bg music from Big City game😂❤

“An Unwavering Heart” It’s maybe a bit too simple to cover, but it just brings me to tears whenever I hear it. I vividly remember that I put my DS down for an hour straight and listened to the song when I first heard it. If there is a part two to this video, I’d love to see that song in the lineup!

The ending theme to this game is by far my favorite in the entire pokemon franchise. Its such a banger! All the music in bw and bw2 are sooo good!

It’s really cool observing how the scores for the handheld Pokémon games evolve over time as the systems become more capable of mimicking instruments and are able to have more tracks playing at once. On one hand, the limitations force the composers to get really creative and efficient to effectively communicate the tone of the music. On the other hand, they really seem to relish in the new possibilities afforded to them by new hardware.

i have never audibly said “YES!” out loud after seeing a post before. havent even watched it and i already know its gonna be a banger

I grinned so hard when Driftveil City came up. Thanks for breaking down the awesome music of these games I love so much.

14:00 THIS MOMENT… I’VE WAITED MY WHOLE LIFE

Omg I did not expect a Blue Devils mention in this video! I marched that group this past summer and it was so insane to be able to play music form Pokemon!

Honestly what I wouldn't give for an hour or two long video with just a deepdive into the Black & White (2) ost. From the relaxing Undella Bay (with secret generational trauma) to the mysterious Dragonspiral Tower, from the buildup on Village Bridge to the weird and wacky background music when making a movie in Pokestar Studios, this generation was absolutely full of gems that I still replay on a near weekly basis. They even went as far as to hide the tiniest of details, like on route 12 where drums kick in only when you're walking. The ost of this generation was pure gold!

0:25 - That rEvErB~ It still confuses me to this day why the OGen 1 music gets uploaded like “that”-

Fantastic Video!!! I’d honestly love to see more on black & white and black and white 2! There’s so much incredible music to cover. One of my all time favorites is called “marine tube” from B&W2. It’s so easy to miss playing bc it’s in a pretty insignificant transition area but easily one of the best songs.

Ooohhhh i got so many chills from that drum/bugle core section

I absolutely love the Black/White Kyurem theme, the way it manages to fit a full orchestra battle theme into the small amount of DS soundchips, plus lots of fun tritones and dissonance with everything throughout the entire piece, lots of sixteenth note runs that’s really hard to place out

Gen5 has always been my favorite, especially because the music. The percussion playing on the routes when you walk is such an awesome touch

i love your videos charles, makes me happy every time you upload :)

Was hoping you’d cover Pokémon again soon 😍

I think you’ve demonstrated how much this was a soft reset for the series not just in game design (150 new pokemon without any returning ones until post game) but also in the music. LOVE IT

Digging the new set lighting.

Never thought I'd see the Blue Devils on this channel! I'm so happy to see them on here and to see the snippets of my friends that marched this year! Drum Corp is far too big a subject for you to cover but hopefully more can sneak their way in from time to time!

as nostalgic as I am for Black and White's theme, Black 2 and White 2's theme will always have my heart. The slower tempo and change of instrumentation to reflect the cold icy nature of the box art legendaries just feels so right

Suggestions: - Golden Sun - Megaman Zero - Megaman Battle Network - Boktai - Final fantasy tactics

i need a part 2 just to get the pinwheel forest/dreamyard theme

I think my favorite part of the black and white soundtrack is the bridge where when you talk to specific npcs, they then add a layer to the song playing in that area.

Can't believe you did the battle music but skipped over how it changes when you get low HP! The music in black and white was so interactive with the game it was great.

Glad someone can appreciate the OST of my favorite set of Pokemon games. Thanks for the video!

Best game soundtrack. There are so many good songs for breakdowns, like all of the town gyms having uniquely themed versions of the Gym song. The battle theme has a second part when you are low on health, and another part when your opponent is about to be defeated. Emotion is a great song on its own and needs to be highlighted, along with the Gate Music for your Weather Channel vibes. Black and White 2 has much more to offer, with Accumula Town having a layered jazz piece and the greatness that is Village Bridge and Lucanosa Town. Eagerly awaiting more content, sir.

I can't post a RU-vid link, but if you haven't already please check out the "Black and White Legendary Theme" The start of the tune with the strange chords is wild, and the change in tempo is crazy, it's a really unique tune.

I can't believe you started the video with the main theme of bw, and didn't talk about "Victory Lies Before You" which is literally a battle remix of the main theme for the gym leaders final Pokemon. In all seriousness, great video, can't wait to see more!

Please please review “Change is Everything” from the Bluecoats 2024 season of drum corps international! They won first place this year and their show is absolutely incredible, the theming with the music will blow your mind. (Blue Devis got 3rd place if anyone was wondering :)

I've been woefully lax in watching DCI in the last few years and can't believe I missed BD playing that! I got legit chills just from that snippet, wow!

I understand why you didn't cover it because there wouldn't be much to say about it music-theory wise, but the Village Bridge where you go around and talk to each individual musician and their parts are activated and added to the music as it is playing is one of the best use of music in a video game I've ever seen.

The credits theme from this game brings a tear to my eye. After everything you've gotten through in the game it just hits different.

the black2/white2 title screen music is one of my favorite game tracks of all time. it just gives you this sense that something terrible is imminent, yet you still have the need to explore. the low brass especially just make it so perfect, plus mixed in with the original title screen theme

You should do some of the Death Note music, especially L’s theme. it is some strange stuff going on in the first section, where it feels like every other phrase is a beat short

Gen 5 was the full start of a massive leap in the quality of Pokemon's music that was teased in HeartGold and SoulSilver with the themes of the new routes 47 and 48. You could probably go in on every game since and get lost in just how incredible each game's OST has been. I don't know what was the catalyst for the massive leap in Pokemon's music from late gen 4/gen 5 onward, but it's honestly given me some of my outright favorite music in the franchise and is one of the things I look forward to the most with every new release in a franchise that I've been playing since 1998

Deagonspiral tower has my heart for the song that made me stop walking around and exploring and just taking in the moment. Song is so cool.

The Dragonspiral/Celestial Tower theme is probably one of the best songs in the entire game.

YES THIS GAME HAS THE BEST SOUNDTRACK!! Thank you for covering it Charles! 🔥🔥

Black and White and the sequels are just goated games in general. Everything about them is amazing. It's impossible to say which would be the craziest single theme from the game, but if i had to choose i would say the best are probably the N's battle theme, the Route 10 theme and the credits theme. And of course, it's impossible to mention Black and White music without mentioning the first song to really become viral, Accumula Town. I suggest to watch the video Gen 5 Music Hits Really Hard by The Mammalizer.

the musical shift from the older games to B&W was INTENSE playing it for the first time as a kid

My only complaint about your music analysis videos are that you don't put them out quickly enough. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm and joy for music!!

N's castle bridge theme plays for a criminally short amount of time but it builds such a palpable atmosphere of inevitable resolution. Every time I hear it I imagine a hero trudging a crumbling path up a mountain as the world falls to the sky around them, uncertainty etched into their face over the battle yet ahead. It sounds like you're about to set the course of history.

Man, this game is a treasure trove of fun music to look at like Emotion, the Legendary theme, and the Team Plazma theme. Very distinct among game music to me.

The low health music, dreamyard/pinwheel forest, elite four theme, and N’s theme all definitely need to be covered!!!

i had never heard this soundtrack before, but im a huge Drum Corps fan, and i was thinking how hard these tracks would go in a drum corps setting. when Charles actually made the connection himself, i absolutely lost my mind 10/10 video